The Standpoint Theory revolves around the idea that an individual’s own perspectives are shaped by his or her social and political experiences. It supports a feminist theory concept called strong objectivity. This is the notion that perspectives of marginalized and/or oppressed individuals can help to create more objective accounts of the world, which is an idea that merged out of Marxism (Borland). Not everyone in the dominant culture experiences life in the same way. Today’s standpoint theory often focuses on social positions like gender, race, class, and culture. This idea has been especially prevalent in the messages of past and modern pop music.
Gender is a big issue that has been addressed by pop music and pop musicians. One of the biggest awards shows in music todays is strictly created to honor women in music. It is a way to reach young girls aspiring to become musicians, while looking back at all the work women have done and their contributions to the music industry. These women have been able to discuss some of the hardships that they have gone through based on their social or political situations. A few years ago, Time Magazine released an issue that discussed the #MeToo movement which included an article on a modern pop princess, Taylor Swift. She talked about the sexual harassment that she has had to deal with being in the music industry and standing up for herself (Zacharek). This shows how the more marginalized women in the industry have different experiences than men within the same industry.
As race being another issue that has been reported in the media, it is also prominent in pop music. One way that pop musicians deal with racial is through their music content. Popular rapper JAY-Z created a song called The Story of O.J. Its music video is created to mirror the cartoon style of the ‘30s and ‘40s framing racist caricatures in the context of his ruminations of race. His wife, Beyoncé, another modern pop icon, is also another racial influencer. Many people in the black community look up to her as a musician. In 2017, Beyoncé presented Colin Kaepernick with a prestigious award for his “selfless heart” as being an activist for the black community. She praised his willingness to “change perception, to change the way we treat each other, especially people of color.” There is no doubt that, as a woman of color herself, she sees the world differently than other people based on social and political experiences she has had in the past.
Social class is another idea we think about when it comes to standpoints. Peoples taste in music can actually reveal our social statuses. There was a study that was conducted where scientists asked 1,595 people from varied backgrounds about their music tastes. They found that higher classes liked rock, reggae, pop, classical, and opera (Gray). This brings to question the idea of why pop is considered a genre for the elite. Many pop musicians are a part of the upper class, being that since their music is the most popular, they are making quite a bit of money. Pop musicians would have a different outlook on the lower classes in America than those who actually belong to the lower or middle classes. They may not know what it is like to live paycheck to paycheck or having to save up for things that they want.
Lastly, culture is another standpoint that can be observed in pop culture. There are dominant cultures in America. Obviously American culture is the most prominent one and is regarded as the “better” culture. Black or Latino culture can be looked down on as a “trashier” to those who grew up in American culture. Pop icons like Camila Cabello, or Jenifer Lopez have taken their Latino culture and embraced it in their music. Camila Cabello wrote a song about the capital city in her home country of Cuba, taking pride in where she is from. Her standpoint is different from typical Americans because she has experienced two different cultures and talks about how one culture is not better than the other, they are just different. This provided more insight to those who have not experienced another culture.
Standpoint theory shows us how political and social experiences influence the way that we look at the world. Through class, culture, race, gender, and other demographics we can learn new ways that others perceive the world around them. Pop music and the people who create it have been able to portray and make known these different standpoints. It has been able to call out injustices because of certain standpoints that people have which is the first step at social change.
Works Cited
Borland, Elizabeth. “Standpoint Theory.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 16 June 2017, http://www.britannica.com/topic/standpoint-theory.
Gray, Richard. “What Your Music Taste Reveals about Your Social Status.” Daily Mail Online, Associated Newspapers, 4 June 2015, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3110716/Do-love-reggae-hate-easy-listening-UPPER-CLASS-music-taste-reveals-social-status.html.
Zacharek, Stephanie. “TIME Person of the Year 2017: The Silence Breakers.” Time, Time, 2017, time.com/time-person-of-the-year-2017-silence-breakers/.
Communication Capstone 2278 Project 